Roland-Garros Fans Erupt as Carlos Alcaraz Displays Incredible Sportsmanship by Winning a Point Off Himself

Carlos Alcaraz showcased what many, including the chair umpire, spectators in the stands, and his opponent Ben Shelton, initially thought to be an extraordinary lunging volley to secure a point at Roland-Garros on Monday morning.

However, Alcaraz was aware that the point should not stand. After a moment of reflection, the defending champion took responsibility for his mistake and conceded the point to Shelton, leading to a 7-6(8), 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 victory in the fourth round.

“It’s disappointing because it was the ‘Hot Shot’ of the day,” Alcaraz later remarked with a grin.

“Crazy shot,” Shelton agreed.

Here’s what transpired: Early in the second set, Shelton executed a passing shot that flew well beyond Alcaraz’s reach at the net. In an attempt to reach the ball, Alcaraz launched his racquet — and in a stroke of luck, the strings managed to hit the ball, sending it back over the net and onto Shelton’s side of the court.

Initially, the second seed, Alcaraz, was awarded the point. However, he approached the chair umpire to clarify the situation, admitting he had released his racquet when it made contact with the ball. As this is against the rules, he graciously awarded the point to American Shelton, who is seeded 13th.

Upon relaying this information to the audience at Court Philippe-Chatrier, Alcaraz received a round of applause.

“I thought, ‘OK, I could have kept quiet.’ But I would have felt guilty if I stayed silent,” Alcaraz explained later.

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“It’s about being true to myself. If I know I’ve done something wrong, I must acknowledge it. I must be honest with myself and with Ben, as well as with everyone else… It’s about mutual respect, and I believe that’s how sports should be.”

This moment could have altered the match’s momentum; instead of leading 40-30 on his serve, Alcaraz found himself down 30-40, presenting Shelton with his first break point of the encounter. Nevertheless, Alcaraz managed to save that, along with five additional break points during the lengthy 20-point game, ultimately establishing a two-set lead in an exhilarating contest between the two 22-year-olds who smashed the ball fiercely.

“I thought he played it cleanly. My impression was that he had hit the volley before the racquet flew out of his hand,” Shelton said. “I was quite taken aback when he admitted, ‘No, I let go of the racquet and tossed it… He clearly demonstrates great sportsmanship.”

Shelton, a two-time major semi-finalist, unleashed serves reaching speeds of up to 230km/h and forehands soaring to 187km/h. Alcaraz, already a four-time Grand Slam champion, displayed his wide range of skills throughout the match.

The scoreline didn’t fully capture the match’s intensity; Shelton had three opportunities to claim the first set, leading in the tiebreaker at 6-4, 6-5, and 7-6. Winning any of those points would have given him the set.

However, Alcaraz saved the first with a powerful service winner. Shelton then hit a backhand into the net on the following point. The final point concluded with Shelton directing a backhand straight at Alcaraz, who, positioned at the net, managed to twist his body to execute a winning drop volley.

Alcaraz then converted his second set point, clinching the rally with a down-the-line forehand that forced an error from Shelton.

Shelton took the third set after Alcaraz made a forehand error, prompting the American to pump his fist and cheer: “Let’s go, baby! Come on!”

In the fourth set, Alcaraz regained control with a winning drop shot that set up a break point he capitalised on for a 2-1 lead. After a demanding 3 hours and 19 minutes on the court, Alcaraz secured his 11th straight victory at Roland-Garros.